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Environmental Education Curriculum Development Project for Primary Schools in Bulgaria

Environmental Education Curriculum Development Project for Primary Schools in Bulgaria
Funded by: US Information Agency, ISC, EU Phare Program at the MEW; Center for Environmental Education of Antioch, USA.
Partners: Eco Society "Children of the Earth" and Center for Extracurricular Activities, Blagoevgrad; Info-EcoClub, Vratsa; National Center for Teachers’ Qualification, Sofia; ISC; KORLANC, Hungary.
Area of action: environmental education for schoolchildren
Started: January 1995 Status: on going
PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS RUN BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS
1. Local Environmental Action Program (LEAP) for Central
and Eastern Europe Implemented by: REC
Funded by: US EPA
2. Strengthening Waste Management Capacity of Municipalities in Bulgaria
Implemented by: Entec Ltd., UK
Funded by: British Know How Fund
3. Capacity 21 Program of UNDP
Activities: Local Agenda 21
TIME's ADVISORY COUNCIL
FOUNDER Dr. Elena Petkova, World Resources Institute
Members: Evdokia Maneva, Minister of Environment and WatersMeglena Kuneva,
Council of MinistersOrlin Dikov, ConsultantStefka Tzekova, Sofia Greater MunicipalityLili Masleva, Newspaper "Kapital"Ivo Popov, Povvik Ltd.

TIME’s OPERATIONAL BOARD
Executive Director Veleslava Tzakova
Project Co-ordinators Gerassim Gerassimov Milena Bokova Boryana Hrissimova
Funds spent in 1999 135 280 USD
Overheads 8%
Address: 3, Vazrazhdane Blvd., Floor 3, Apt. 15, Sofia 1303
Tel/fax: (359 2) 980-8201 or 980-9007 E-mail: Error! Bookmark not defined.
Bank: Bulbank AD, Sofia, Central branch SWIFT: BFTBBGSF
Beneficiary: TIME-Ecoprojects Foundation Account in LEVA: 1004489118, Account in USD: 1104489111, Account in EURO: 1404489107
To promote sustainable development, efficient management of natural resources, and environmental protection through institutional strengthening, consultancy aid, training workshops, fund-raising for environmental projects, and the facilitation of information exchanges between all levels of government, NGOs, private and state run companies, academia, and the general public, in order to foster democratic decision-making.
A bit of history
1992 marked the beginning of two environmental projects in Bulgaria financed by the US Government - the Environmental Action Plan Development Project in the community of Troyan and the Environmental Training Project. In the four years since these projects began, Elena Petkova, Project Co-ordinator, has built a team that is well aware of what needs to be done and is able to work continually on behalf of Bulgaria’s environment. As a result of these previous activities, in early 1994 the team came up with the idea to establish a Bulgarian not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation to work on issues related to sustainable development. It was decided that the organisation be called "TIME", abbreviated from ‘This Is My Environment’.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
q Dissemination of environmental information and know-how
q Environmental policies research, analysis and development
q Design, organisation and delivery of training
q Establishing mechanisms and systems for networking and partnership building
q Campaigning on international, national and local levels on specific environmental issues
q Supporting community based practices based on sustainable utilisation of the natural resources
q Provision of financial and technical support
q Advocacy
q Supporting local authorities, NGOs and business with fundraising
COMPLETED PROJECTS
1. National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) Support Project
Funded by: US Agency for International Development (US AID) and EU Phare
Program through the Civil Society Development Foundation.
Partners: World Resources Institute (WRI), USA; Bulgarian Association of Municipal Environmental Experts (BAMEE); Municipalities of Stara Zagora and Kurdzhaly.
Area of action: local environmental action plans
Started: October 1994 Completed: December 1996
2. Technical Support and Training in Environmental Protection and Cleaner Technology for Local Governments and Industry in Bulgaria
Funded by: Phare Partnership and Institutional Building Program.
Partners: Green City Denmark A/S, Denmark, and Municipalities of Pleven, Kurdjaly, Stara Zagora and Sliven.
Area of action: training, local environmental action plans
Started: September 1995 Completed: December 1996
3. Demonstration Project - Bulgarian Municipal Solid Waste Management Policy
Funded by: US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).
Partners: Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters (MEW) - Project leader;
Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), USA; Institute for Community
Environmental Management (ICEM), USA.
Area of action: campaigning, national policy development
Started: December 1994 Completed: March, 1999

4. Summary Paper on Environmental Regulations & Sub-Sectors Issues
Funded by: Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bulgaria
Area of action: environmental policy research and analysis
Started: July 1998 Completed: August 1998

5. Radio Program to Raise Environmental Awareness within Bulgarian Society
Funded by: Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)

Partners: Private Radio "Express"
Area of action: public environmental awareness
Started: June 1997 Completed: April 1998
6. Raising Environmental Awareness through a TV Program "My Eco World"
Funded by: US AID though Democracy Network Program
Partners: Program "Planeta", Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
Area of action: public environmental awareness
Started: September 1997 Completed: August 1998

7. Phare/Tacis 1995 Funds for the Black Sea Environmental Program (BSEP)
Partners: International Centre of Water Studies (ICWS), The Netherlands
Area of action: international public awareness campaign, LA21
Started: January 1997 Completed: December 1999
8. Strengthening NGO networking in the Black Sea region
Funded by: The Netherlands Organisation for International Development Cooperation (Novib)
Partners: Black Sea Center for Environmental Education and information, Bulgaria;
Mare Nostrum Organization, Romania; Institute of Ecology - Sough Branch, Ukraine;
Krasnodar Regional Environmental Organization "Environmental course", Russia;
Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia;
Human Settlements Association, Turkey.
Area of action: enhancing NGO networking
Started: January 1997 Completed: December 1999
9. Programs for development of alternative tourism on the territories of Assenovgrad and Velingrad municipalities
Funded by: UNDP, Capacity 21 Programme for Bulgaria
Area of action: sustainable local practices
Started: October 1999 Completed: January 2000
10. Study on Education, Training and Research Institutions and Policies, Institutions and Natural Resource Management
Funded by: DevTEch Systems Ltd., Washington, DC.
Area of action: environmental policy research and analysis
Started: June 1999 Completed: August 1999

THE PROJECTS WE WORK ON
1. Raising Environmental Awareness through the Publication of the Newsletter
"ECOPOLIS - Municipality and Environment".
Funded by: Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bulgaria, ISC, REC, Novib, subscription.
Partners: BAMEE
Area of action: environmental awareness, Local Agenda 21 (LA21)
Started: July 1997 Status: on going
2. Public Awareness Campaign "Unleaded Fuel in Bulgaria"
Funded by: REC and Ministry of Environment and Waters
Partner: Bulgarian Scouts Organisation, Independent Society Ekoglasnost Bourgas,
Shell, Bulgaria AD
Area of action: public awareness campaign
Started: March, 1999 Status: on-going